Switch or receptacle box



W. J. NEWTON.

SWITCH 0R RECEPTACLE BOX.

APPLICATlON FILED DEC.5,1916.

1,845,503. at t d uly 6, 1920.

UNITED SJTA-TE-S PA NT OFFICE.

WILLIAM annwrou, or LYNnaoox, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY mnsnn assrenmanners, TO JOHN G. mvmes'ron, or woonMEnn, noneisnmnnnw Yonx.

swr'ron on. ancnr'rncnn Box.

Boxes, of whichthe following is a specifi-.

cation. i

My invention relates to the boxes of insulating material within which are contained the mechanism of wall switches, the contacts of base receptacles or the like. Such boxes j are contained in outlet boxes which are attached to, or .embedded in the walls of, a

building, and which serve to su port the switch box and provide a fireproo covering for the wiring.

It is desirable, particularly in the case of flush switches and receptacles to so locate the switch box, that the faceplate used for covering the switch and outlet boxes be finally located in a definite position. In the case of a fiushiswitch or receptacle, the face plate should be so located as to make a good contact with the plaster 'or other finished surface of the wall. I g r The general" bject' of my'invention is to provide means for adjusting the position of the switch box with respect to the outlet box or other support upon which it is mounted. In carrying out this object I provide a means which is capable of rapid adjustment, by relatively inexperienced persons, thus saving a large partof the labor cost of installation, and a means which maybe manipulated to produce varying degrees of adjustment at the opposite ends of the switch or receptacle box.

I further aim to make such adjusting means extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture,land when installed of great strength and rigidity. A further object of my invention is to make the adjusting means semi-automatic in their operations, so that when the position of the switch box is once arrived at, the switch box will be locked in 7 position by the attaching of the box to the supporting means.

In the drawings I have shown in Figure 1 a switch box embodying my invention in an unadjusted position, that is, a position with respect to the plaster line that said box would not ocupy. In Fig. 2 I have shown v specification of Letters Patent. v

resilient material, such as brass.

Patented July 6, 1920.

. Application m December 5, 19-13. Serial my. 135.135.

having the face plate attached, Figs. 1 and 2 being sectlonal side views. Fig.1 3 is' a front view of my improved switch -box..

bedded in or supported upon the wall of the building, as for instance, the plaster wall 2; 3 being the plaster line or line of the finished surface of the wall. The outlet box 1 carries lips 4 which. arethreaded to engage lug screw 5 by which the switch box 6 is attached to the outlet box 1.

At either end of the switch box 6 there is located a channel 7. Channel 7 may be conveniently formed of metal and attached to the switch box 6 in any suitable manner, as for instance by molding it in the switch box when the switch box is made of molded insulation. Channel 7 however, may be formed in any suitable manner, and may be I made if desired, of the material of the switch boxe itself. In the drawings I have illustrated channel 7 as being made of some suitable metal as, for instance, brass.

., Channels 7 may be of any suitable form,

but I prefer to form them with a flat back surface 8, which may be roughened or ribbed, if desired, as; shown in Fig. 4, and with a pair of lips 9 at their outer sides to engage the lugs, as will be described hereafter. It is entirely possible, of course,to

otherwise arrange lips 9 and the channel 7 with respect to each other and-to the switch box, for the purpose specified, and I therefore do not wish to limit myself to any par 'ticular construction of channel, but wish to be understood, when I refer to a channel, as describing any suitable means for cooperating with the lugs, as will be described hereafter.

' Mounted within channels 7 are .lugs 10, which are preferably'formed of one piece of Lugs 10 are provided with holes 11, to engage attaching. screws 5, at their outer ends, and are formed in a substantial U shape at their inner ends. The inner ends of lugs 10 may be provided with shoulders 12, which engage the drawings, 1 is an outlet 7 the same box adjusted to the plaster line, and I I flat inner ends, the bifurcated outer ends being separated. In Fig. 2 the bifurcated outer ends are brought together by screwing down the attaching screw 5, and this causes a deformation of the inner ends, springing said flat portions into curved portions and bringing. them into contact with the rear walls 8 of channels 7.

The. operation of my improved device is as follows: Assumin parts to be in the position of Fig. 1, the swltch box 6 is moved to its proper position with respect to the plaster line, the lugs 10 sliding within the channel 7. When the switch box has been broughtto the proper position, the attaching screws 5 are screwed home. This causes the bifurcated ends of the lugs to be brought together thus causing the shoulders 12, on the upper and lower portions respectively of the lug 10, to slide toward each other along the inner surface of the lips 9 of channel 7, and causes the flat inner portions of the lugs to be sprung into the shape shown in Fig. 2. The result is, that the lug 10 is securely clamped in place'by bearing against the inner wall 8 of channel 7, and against the inner side of lips 9 thereof. It will thus be seen that the switch box has been locked in place by the operation of the attaching screws 5, and that it is unnecessary to make use of any other lug looking or fixing means, than the movement of the attaching screws.

It will also be note'd that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the lug forms a very stiff braced structure, there being in effect, a double support between the outlet box of the switch box.

The switch box 6 is provided with the usual cover or bridge plate 13 which isusedto protect and support the switch mechanism. In order to make my improved apparatus simple to assemble, I provide the channel 7 with a stop 14, toprevent the lug 10 from leaving the channel at its lower end,

' and I leave the upper end of the channel open. Lugs 10 may thus be slid into the channels from the upper ends thereof. The cover or bridge plate 13 is provided with an extension 15 at each end thereof, which extends over the upper end of the channel, as shown in Fig. 3, thus preventing the lug from leaving the channel at the upper end, when the switch is assembled.

The switch or receptacle box may be pro- It will be understood that my invention is equall applicable to switch boxes; receptacle' oxes and similar devices, and that when I have used the words switch box or a similar term in this specification and in my claims, I intend to include allsuch similar analogous devices.

While I have only shown one form of my invention, I do not intend to confine myself thereto, since it is obvious that many modifications ma be made without departing from its spirit, t us, for instance, the engagement between the lips 9 and shoulders 12 may be omitted and the stiffness of the lugs relied upon to produce thev locking action, or the action of the attaching screw 5 can be made to otherwise lock the switch box in place.

What I claim is: I

1. In a device of the kind described, a switch box, a support therefor, a lug extending between the switch box and the support, and common means mounted independently of said switch box for attaching the lug to the support and locking the lug to the switch box.

2. Ina device of the character described, a switch box, a supporting member mounted thereon, a support, and means for attaching said supporting member to said support, the operation of said attaching means actin to bring said supporting member into bin ing relation to said switch box to position the latter. i

3. In a device of the character described, a switch box, a supporting member mounted thereon, a support, and means for attaching said supporting member to said support, the operation of said attaching means acting to deform said supporting member to bring a the same into binding relation to said switch box to position the latter.

4. In a device of the kind described, a switch box, a flexible lug mounted thereon and normally out of locking contact therewith, a support, and means for attaching said lug to said support, the operation of said attaching means acting at the same time to bring said lug into locking contact with the switch box.

5. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member, a lug slidably mounted thereon, and normally out of locking contact therewith, a support,-and means for attaching said lug to said support, the operation of said attaching means acting at the same time to bring said lug into locking engagement with the box member.

6. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member carrying a channel, a lug slidably mounted in said channel and normally out of locking contact therewith, a support, and means for attaching said lug to said support, the operation of said attaching means acting at the same time to bring said lug into locking contact with the channel.-

7. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member carrying a channel, a bifurcated lug slidably mounted in said channel and means for causing said lug to be deformed to bring it into locking engagement with the channel.

8. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member having a channel mounted thereon,

a lug having a flat inner portion and attach-' ing means for the lug, the operation of which will bend the fiat portion of the lug to bring it into locking engagement with the channeL,

9. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member, a channel having lips mounted thereon, a lug slidably mounted in said channel and having shoulders adapted to engage said lips and means for bringing said shoulders into contact with said lips.

10. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member, a channel having a back portion and lips, mounted thereon, a lug slidably mounted in said channel and means for bringing said lug into contact with both said back portion and lips. i

11. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member, a channel mounted thereon and having a back portion and lips, a lug having a flat portion and shoulders,'and means for deforming said lug, to bend the flat portion into contact with the back portion of the channel and bring the shoulders'into contact with the lips.

12. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member having a channel, a flexible lug slidably mounted in said channel, and means mounted independently of said box for bringing the lug into contact with two sides of the channel.

13. An adjustable switch comprising a switch box having a channel, a flexible lug mounted thereon and attaching means for the lug adapted to deform the lug to bring it into contact with two sides of the channel.

14:. An adjustable switch, comprising a switch box having a channel, a bifurcated lug slidably mounted thereon and means for bringing the separated portions of the lug,

together, to cause a locking engagement between it and the channel."

15. An adjustable switch, comprising a 16. An adjustable switch, com rising a switch box, a bifurcated lug slidab y mount- -ed'thereon and having -a fiat inner portion supporting means for the lug, and attaching means adapted to cooperate with the supporting means and to bring the separated portions of the lug together, to cause the flat portion to bend. I

19. An adjustable switch, comprising a box member, carrying a channel having a flatside and lips, a bifurcated lug slidably mounted in said channel, supporting means upon which said lug is adapted to rest, and attaching means passing through the separating portions of said lug and adapted to bring them together, to bring the lug into locking engagement with the flat side and lips of the channel.

20. Anadjustable switch, comprising a switch box, a channel having a fiat back and I lips, mounted'thereon, a lug having abifurcated outer end and an inner end provided with a flat portion and shoulders, supporting means for the lug, and an attaching screw passing through the separated outer ends of the lug into the supporting means and adapted to bring the separated ends together, to cause the inner end of the lug to bend, to engage the lips and flat back of the channel. p ,21. In a. device of the kind described, a lug, a channel, within which said lug is adapted to slide, a fixed stop at the lower end of the channel and a removable cover projecting over the upper end of the channel. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification this 4th day of December, 1916.

WILLIAM J. NEWTON. 

